


When I’m With You

by TwoBladeBae



Category: One Piece
Genre: Coming Out, Domestic, F/M, Gen, Post wano arc, Such a soft ship, helping Yamato come out, izo loves his little sister, soft content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:15:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25514869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwoBladeBae/pseuds/TwoBladeBae
Summary: Kiku has a very important question.
Relationships: Yamato/O-Kiku
Comments: 14
Kudos: 90





	1. Chapter 1

In all the years that followed after their parents were taken away, Kiku had never been alone. Izo was always right there, making sure that life was good not just for him, but for the both of them. He took on the role of a caregiver while way too young, but he loved his sibling, and if that’s what was needed of him, he’d do it. 

The younger child snuggled up a bit closer to him, head resting gently in his lap. The two of them were lucky; Oden had seemed upset at their appearance at first, but couldn’t bring himself to throw two children out. He allowed the two to stay, and Kiku was glad they finally had a real bed again.

“You should be sleeping.” Izo’s voice was gentle, but Kiku knew he was trying to give a command. He was too nice. “You need sleep, you’re young.” He stroked his fingers through long black hair, managing a small smile. He was tired too, but he couldn’t sleep until Kiku did. 

“You’re barely older than me, brother!” Kiku let out a small laugh, reaching a hand up to pat Izo’s cheek gently. “I have a question.” 

Izo raised an eyebrow, placing his hand over Kiku’s smaller one. It seemed like the kid was just full of questions; he could barely keep up. “What is it?” 

“Can I be a girl?” 

He paused, looking down into his sibling’s face properly now. Kiku was staring up at him with those wide, curious eyes again, expecting an answer. Too often he felt intimidated by them; they held so much faith and trust in him and he felt like he would never be able to live up to the person that Kiku thought he was. 

“You want to be a girl?” He asked, giving Kiku a gentle smile. A girl? Well, sure, why not? He would let Kiku be anything if it brought the kid a little bit of happiness. “Sure...of course you can. If that’ll make you happy.” 

Kiku could barely contain her excitement, rolling over and off of her brother’s lap in favor of wrapping her arms around him. She’d put so much weight into the hug that Izo couldn’t hold on, tumbling back onto the mattress that Oden had given them. He’d tried to give them two, but soon realized the kids were so inseparable that one of them would always be empty. 

“Will you sleep now?” He asked, stroking her hair lightly and snuggling up a little bit closer to her. She was always warm! “If I tell my little sister to sleep, will she?” 

Izo didn’t even need the streams of moonlight from the window to be able to see the grin on Kiku’s face; she was practically radiating happiness. He could feel it. She nodded eagerly, holding on tightly to the back of his shirt and finally closing her eyes. The older boy pulled their blanket up over them and to his chin, settling in a bit more comfortably and planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head. 

If it meant making Kiku happy, he would do anything. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve wanted to write something for these two for a long time now! They’re super sweet and I love their relationship. Not using pronouns for the first part of the fic was a challenge but I’m happy with how it came out!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamato has a question, and now it’s Kiku’s turn to help out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been wanting to write something for this ship since I first started shipping them! I’m so glad I could get this one done for you all. Thank you Shock for being my lovely last minute beta!

Warm summer nights in Wano were some of Kiku’s favorites. 

She spent too many years in the cold city of Ringo, bundled up and snuggled next to her brother to try and keep warm; enough cold nights to last her a lifetime. 

But now she could sit out in the sun in just her pajamas, her hair pulled back into a loose braid that rested over her shoulder. She had a cup of tea beside her, a fan in one hand, and her fingers tangled in thick blue hair. Letting out a soft hum, she ran her fingers through the hair of the head in her lap, leaning back slightly and fanning herself a bit more. 

A sudden breeze from below caused her shirt to billow open and she squeaked, quickly pushing it back down and blushing heavily now. 

“Yamato!” She protested, eyeing the other’s fan that was positioned in such a way that she knew the breeze had come from it. “Trying to look up my shirt now, are you?” 

Her protests were met with loud laughter and she pouted, trying her best not to let out a giggle of her own. “How inappropriate!” 

“Oh come on,” Words smooth as silk fell from plump lips, mischievous eyes staring up at her through heavy lids. “Can’t I have a little fun?” 

Kiku stuck her tongue out, smoothing her shirt down before continuing to fan herself once again. The two fell silent, listening to the distant sound of cicadas in the trees that bordered their little town. 

It was a little while before she spoke again, twirling a lock of light blue hair around her finger. 

“You’re very quiet tonight,” she started, gently tugging on the strand and watching for any change in the other’s expression. There was none. “Is everything okay?” 

“Just...thinkin’ about something is all.” The response was small and quiet, as if there was much more to be said but no words to be found. “Y’know...stuff.” 

Kiku only tilted her head, pulling her lips to one side; she certainly didn’t like the sound of that! Leaning in a bit, she easily towered over the one in her lap, their eyes meeting. “Yamato...I’m your girlfriend, you know...you can tell me anything.”

Well, who could ever resist a cute face like that? One hand reached up, a laugh accompanying the way calloused fingers brushed gently across her cheek, just barely resisting the urge to pinch. 

Words caught once again in the base of a throat, struggling to continue, as if there was something holding them back. Perhaps a heavy weight, a threat of violence that has been long gone from thin wrists, but still continues to push radical thoughts down. 

“Well, you told me about being trans...” A soft voice, but it was a start. “And it sort of felt...good. Like the idea just felt right to me.” 

Kiku stayed silent, tilting her head curiously. “I’m sensing a ‘but’ at the end of that sentence…” 

Dark eyes finally opened wide enough to see her properly, although still upside down in her lap. “But I can’t be, right? I mean, I don’t care about changing anything about myself. Don’t wanna change my appearance…just maybe call myself a guy anyway, you know?” 

The young woman paused, her lips curling upwards into a gentle smile. “Yamato,” she started, cupping soft cheeks with a feather light touch, “You don’t need to transition in any way to be trans...If you want to be a boy, then be one. Your outside appearance doesn’t have to change.” 

It was as if she could see the gears turning in the other’s head, mouth opening slightly as if the words were still processing. 

“I can be a guy?” Yamato asked, finally pushing himself up and out of her lap, turning to face her now. 

“If that’s what would make you happy.” Kiku let out a small laugh, bringing her hand up to rub gently between the young man’s horns, the way she knew he liked. “If being a boy would make you happy, then—“

She was unable to finish her thought as Yamato all but launched himself at her, grabbing her face eagerly and pulling her into a deep, loving kiss. 

She easily melted into it, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in closer. They stayed connected like that for a few long moments before Yamato finally pulled back, rubbing his thumbs across her cheekbones. 

It felt like a heavy weight had finally been lifted from his chest, as well as his wrists, feeling like for the first time in his life he could just  _ be _ . 

“I suppose I can call you my boyfriend now,” Kiku giggled out, unable to stop herself as she brought a hand up to rub between his horns again. “How does it feel?”

Yamato flashed her a wide, toothy grin, tears of joy and relief alike dripping down his cheeks. Oh, he never expected a word to feel so good! Of course, the fact that it was coming from Kiku of all people made it even better.

He rested their foreheads together, taking a few moments to just enjoy this feeling of peace and acceptance with her. 

“It feels perfect,” he whispered, letting his eyes flutter closed. 

“Thank you.” 


End file.
